Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWSThe Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS presented technologies for more efficient and sustainable aviation at ILA 2026. Highlights at Europe’s leading aerospace trade fair included innovative exhibits on lightweight sandwich structures and efficient manufacturing processes.
LA Berlin is one of the world’s most important trade fairs for aerospace. From June 10 to 14, 2026, it brought together stakeholders from industry, politics, and research at BER Airport under the motto “Pioneering Aerospace.” This year’s core themes were climate neutrality, technological sovereignty, and safety. Discussions focused on innovative propulsion concepts, sustainable materials, and new approaches for low-emission aviation.
The Fraunhofer IMWS demonstrated the potential of application-oriented materials research to drive more sustainable aviation. At the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft’s joint booth, the institute from Halle (Saale) showcased, for example, a demonstrator of a rudder section featuring a new construction method using thermoplastic sandwich shells. This construction method enables maximum load-bearing capacity with very low weight. The institute also employed a highly efficient processing technology.
In addition, other samples of sandwich technologies were on display, which offer great potential as lightweight components for various applications in aviation. The Fraunhofer team also presented its extensive possibilities for material and component testing. Dr.-Ing. Ralf Schlimper, Group Manager of “Evaluation and Design of Fiber-Reinforced Structures” at Fraunhofer IMWS, gave a presentation on “Eco-Efficient Sandwich Structures in Aircraft Design” on the ILA Stage.
“ILA 2026 was a great success for us. Our presence demonstrated that our expertise is highly valued, and we were able to establish numerous valuable contacts. The enthusiastic response confirms that our lightweight construction technologies can make an important contribution to the sustainable advancement of aviation,” Schlimper summarized.
Fraunhofer IMWS supports the aviation industry with specialized expertise in the development of lightweight construction solutions and innovative materials. The institute possesses the relevant know-how for the industry, particularly in the testing and optimization of materials and production processes. In this way, the experts from Halle (Saale) also help bring efficient and climate-friendly solutions to industrial application more quickly.
(June 15, 2026)